Bernie Sanders Can’t Push Cory Booker On Drugs

Cory Booker broke historical ground this week, when the New Jersey Senator testified against fellow Senator Jeff Sessions to prevent Sessions from becoming Attorney General in Donald Trump’s administration. But Booker, a liberal rising star who led all senate candidates in Wall Street contributions in 2014, then joined a dozen other Democrats to vote against a cheaper drugs bill proposed by Vermont liberal icon Bernie Sanders and Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

The Sanders/Klobuchar bill would have allowed Americans to import prescription drugs from Canada using a reserve fund, a way around what Sanders — and Donald Trump — have called Big Pharma’s predatory practices. Even 12 GOP senators voted for Sanders’ bill, but the 13 nay-saying Democrats drove nails into the amendment’s coffin. Booker used the same explanation that American pharmaceutical companies use to reject the idea. He says he favors cheaper drugs for Americans, but that the bill did not ensure the drugs would meet US-level safety requirements. OpenSecrets.org reports that Booker has taken contributions totaling $267,338 from pharmaceutical companies over the last six years, the highest total among Democrats.

Grateful to you. Please know, a number of dems who voted no last night AGREE WE MUST IMPORT. But we believe basic FDA standards must be met. https://t.co/Xgpg5ISr1J